Fixture for window curtains or shades.



Patnted Jan. 13, 1914.

v17127672 i071: Haw 615mg@ M'/MMM l P. G. EMERY.

FIXTURE FOR WINDOW CURTAINS 0R SHADES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, 1912.

COLUMBIA PLANOORAPM c0..wAsHxNnToN. D. c.

PLATO G. EMERY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FIXTURE FOR, WINDOW CURTAINS OR SHADES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 13, 1914.

Application mea May 4, 1912. serial No. 695,072.

To all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, PLATO G. EMERY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Fixtures for Vindow Curtains or Shades, and declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which forni a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that type of shade or curtain which has at one end a stick provided with heads adapted to travel in longi tudinal grooves in the window frame and it has for its object to improve the construction so as to permit the heads to be adjusted easily and conveniently, in the factory, at the time of installation, and at any time thereafter when adj ustmentmay be required during the use of the curtain.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel construction and arrangement which will permit a curtain stick to be lengthened or shortened without causing a change in the tension of the springs acting on the heads at the ends of the stick.

The various features of novelty whereby is surrounded by aii escutcheon plate 14 having a transverse piece 15 which divides the my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but, for a full understanding of my invention and of its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an stick arranged in accordance with a preferred form of my invention; Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section on an enlarged scale through one-half of the stick; and Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively sections on line 3-3 and line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, l represents the main body portion which, as usual, is in the form of a tube. Into the ends of the member l are screwed extensions 2. Each of the extensions comprises a part having the same external diameter as the member 1 and a reduced part 3 screw-threaded into the interior of the member 1. rllhe reduction in diameter of each of the members 2 where it is screw-threaded into the main member of the stick produces an internal annular shoulgpieoes 12 extend through a slot der 4. A similar annular shoulder 5 is formed atI the other end of the reduced portion 3. 7i-thin the outer end of each of the members 2 is arranged a suitable head for entering into one of the grooves at the sides of a window frame. In the arrangement shown, the heads are made in two parts, a friction shoe 6 and a guide or holder 7 having anti-friction rollers S. It will of course be understood, however, that my inventi-on is not limited to a head having` this two-part construction. Each of the holders 7 has an elongated sleeve-like hub 9 fitting within one of the extensions 2. Each of the friction shoes is provided with a similar elongated hub member 10 extending into and supported by the hub of the corresponding holder. Each of the hubs l0 is loosely connected to the outer end of a rod 11 extending through the stick to a point near the middle thereof where it is provided with i the usual finger piece 12; the connection between the hub and the rod being such that normally they are free to rotate relative to each other and also have capacity for limited relative axial movements. The finger 13 in one side of the stick and are movable from and ftoward each other within the limits of the slot. In' the arrangement shown, the slot slot into two parts. The escutcheon plate may conveniently be held in place by leaving the metal which must be cut out of the escutcheon plate over the slot 13 in the form of tongues 16 which are bent back through the slot and against the interior of the tuba lar stick. Each of the rods 11 is provided with a screw-threaded portion 17 of considerable length upon which the linger piece is located., thus permitting each rod to be adjusted axially. Within each of the inembers 2 are two springs 18 and 19, the spring 1S bearing at one end against the sleeve like hub 9 and at its other end against the internal shoulder 4, and the spring 19 bearing at one end against. the inner end of the hub 10 and at its other end against the internal shoulder 5 on the member 2. It will thus be seen that each of the extensions with its head and springs is a selfecontained unit which may be screwed in or out withoutv altering the relation of its parts or elements with respect to each other; it being only Y tool.

necessary to adjust the corresponding hnger piece axially along its rod whenever one of the extensions is adjusted.

I have provided means whereby the finger pieces may be adjusted along the actuating rods by simply turning the heads at the ends of the stick, although normally the heads can turn freely within the ends of the stick without having any effect upon the adjustment of the actuating rods. I accomplish this by providing each of the hubs l0 and the corresponding actuating rod with faces or shoulders adapted to be brought into engagement with each other when the two members are moved axially relative to each other, and by such engagement clutch the two members together so as to cause them both to turn when either is turned. The springs normally hold the parts in such positions that the clutch connection is interrupted, but when one of the heads is pushed in it brings the corresponding engaging faces or shoulders in operative relation to each other. The mechanical details of this particular coupling or connection may be widely varied but, for the sake of brevity, I have illustrated only a single simple form. Referring to the drawing, it will be seen that the actuating rods l1 have on their outer ends heads 2O which, instead of being round are oblong in shape. The heads are contained in chambers 2l in the inner ends of the hubs l0, the chambers being large enough to permit free relative axial and angular movements between the friction shoes and the rods. The outer wall of the chamber 2l is so formed that when the friction shoe is pushed in and turned it is locked to the head 2O and causes the latter to turn with it. This may conveniently be accomplished by forming a longitudinal axial bore through each friction shoe and its hub as indicated at 22 and shaping the bore, at least at its inner end, so that in one predetermined angular position it will register with the adjacent head 20, thus permitting one of the friction shoes to be locked to its actuating rod by an inward movement and then a gradual turning movement while the inward pressure is maintained, the head entering the bore as soon as the proper angular relation is obtained. Thereafter a continued rotary movement of the friction shoe or head causes the actuating rod to be turned, screwing it into or out of its finger piece.

By making the bore 22 extend clear through the friction shoe, means is provided for turning the actuating rod with a Thus a transverse notch S23 may be cut across the head of the actuating rod so that a screw driver inserted through the bore 22 and entering the notch may be used to turn the rod. When the stick as a whole is to be adjusted, that is when the extensions 2 are screwed in or out, the rods may be adjusted most quickly and Aconveniently by means of a screw driver. The foregoing adjustments are the kind made in the factory or at the time the shades or curtains are being placed on the windows, so that the workman has a screw driver at hand. After the shades or curtains are installed it may happen, through warping of the window panes or otherwise, that readjustment is necessary or desirable. In such case a conductor or other member of the crew of a car or train is able to make the desired adjustment without using a screw driver; it being simply necessary to hold one of the finger pieces in the position shown in Figs. l and 2 and to push it on the corresponding head and turn it slowly at the same time until the head is interlocked with the rod, so that a continued turning of the head will unscrew the rod the desired amount. As soon as the head is released, the springs force it out and leave it disconnected from the actuating rod so far as capacity for relative angular movements is concerned; and no turning of the head in its normal position will in any wise affect the adjustment of the rod.

It will thus be seen that I have provided means whereby a shade stick may be lengthened or shortened in a simple manner without varying the effective tension of its springs, one in which the heads may readily be adjusted lengthwise of the stick, and wherein the heads although normally free to turn upon the actuating rods may, when A,

properly manipulated, be used as tools for affecting their own adjustment.

lVhile I have illustrated and described only a single preferred form of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to the particular structural details thus illustrated and described, but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which fall within the terms employed in the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims.

I claim:

l. The combination with a hollow shade stick, of a head projecting into one end of the stick, a rod lying within the stick, a finger piece screw-threaded upon one end of the rod, a loose connection between the other end of the rod and the head for permitting limited relative axial movement between the rod and the head, the parts being so constructed and arranged that when the head and the rod are at one limit oftheir relative axial movement they are free to turn independently of each other and when at the other limit of said movement they are coupled together against relative rotary movements, and a spring tending to maintain said rod and said head in the relative axial positions wherein they are free to turn relative to each other.

2. The combination with a hollow shade stick, of a head projecting into one end of lio the stick, an actuating rod within the stick, a finger piece upon one end of the rod, a connection between the other end of the rod and said head for permitting relative axial and angular movements between the rod and the head, cooperating faces on the rod and the head for engaging with each other in one relative axial position to clutch the rod and Athe head together so as to prevent relative angular movements between the same, and a spring for normally holding said cooperative faces out of operative rela-tion to each other.

3. The combination with a hollow shade stick, oit' a head projecting into one end of the stick, an actuating rod within the stick, a nger piece screw-threaded on one end of the rod, a loose connection between the other end of the rod and the head for permitting relative rotary and limited relative axial movements between the same, a spring tending normally to hold the head and the rod at one limit of said relative axial movement, and means on said rod and on said head for clutching the two together against relative rotary movements when the rod and the head are moved against the tension of the spring to the other limit of their relative axial movement.

4. The combination with a hollow shade stick, of a head projecting into one end of the stick, an actuating rod within the stick, a finger piece screw-threaded on one end of the rod, a loose connection between the other end of the rod and the head for permitting relative rotary and limited relative axial movements between the same, a spring tending normally to hold the head and the rod at one limit of said relative axial movement, means on said rod and on said head for clutching the two together against relative rotary movements when the rod and the head are moved against the tension of the spring to the other limit of their relative axial movement, said head having a toolreceiving opening extending therethrough, and said rod having its end shaped to be engaged with and turned by the aforesaid tool.

5. The combination with a hollow shade stick, of a head projecting into one end of the stick, an actuating rod within the stick, a connection between one end of the rod and said head for permitting relative axial and angular movements between the rod and the head, coperating faces on the rod and the head for engaging with each other in one relative axial position to clutch the rod and the head together so as to prevent relative angular movements between the same, and a spring for normally holding said coperating faces out of operative relation to each other.

6. The combination with a hollow shade stick, of a head projecting into one end of the stick, an actuating rod within the stick, means in the stick into which the inner end of the rod is screw-threaded, a connection between the other end of the rod and said head for permitting relative axial movements between the rod and the head, the parts being so constructed and arranged that in one relative axial position they are held together against relative angular movements while in another relative axial position they are free to turn angular-ly relative to each other, and means for normally maintaining the rod and the head in the latter relative position.

7. The combination with a hollow shade stick, ot a head projecting into one end ot the stick, an actuating rod. within the stick, means in the stick into which the inner end of the rod is screw-threaded, a connection between t-he other end ot` the rod and said head for permitting relative axial movements between the rod and the head, the parts being so constructed and arranged that in one relative axial position they are held together against relative angular movements while in another relative axial position they are free to turn angularly relative to each other, the service relation ol' the `head and the rod being that in which they occupy the latter relative axial position.

8. rlhe combination with a hollow shade stick, of a head projecting into one end of the stick, an actuating rod within the stick, means in the stick into which the inner end of the rod is screw-threaded, a connection between the other end of the rod and said head for permitting relative axial movements between the rod and the head, the parts being so construct-ed and arranged that in one relative axial position they are held together against relative angular movements while in another relative axial p0- sition they are free to turn angularly relative to each other, means for normally maintaining the rod and the head in the latter relative position, said head having a toolreceiving opening extending therethrough, and said rod having its end shaped to be engaged with and turned by the aforesaid tool.

9. The combination with a hollcw shade stick, of a head projecting into one end of the stick, an actuating rod within the stick, means in the stick into which the inner end of the rod is screw-threaded, a connection between the other end ot the rod and said head permitting limited relative axial movements between the rod and the head, and a normally opened clutch between the rod and the head for holding the rod and the head together against relative angular movements, the clutch being opened and closed by relative axial movements between the rod and the head.

l0. The combination with a hollow shade stick, of a head projecting into one end of the stick, an actuating rod within the stick,

means in the stick into which the inner end of the rod is screw-threaded, a connection between the other end of the rod and said head permitting limited relative axial movements between the rod and the head, a normally opened clutch between the rod and the head for holding the rod and the head together against relative angular movements, the clutch being opened and closed by relative axial movements between the rod and the head, and means tending normally to hold the rod and the head in the relative axial position in which the clutch is opened.

l1. The combination with a hollow shade stick, of a head projecting into one end of the stick, an actuating rod within the stick, means in the stick into which the inner end of the rod is screw-threaded, a connection between the other end of the rod and said head for permitting relative axial movements between the rod and the head, the parts being so constructed and arranged that in one relative axial position they are held together against relative angular movements while in another relative axial position they are free to turn angularly relative to each other, and means for normally maintaining the rod and the head in the latter relative position, said head having a toolreceiving opening extending therethrough, and said rod having its end shaped to be engaged with and turned by the aforesaid tool.

12. The Combination of a hollow shade stiok, of an extension mounted in one end so as to be adjustable lengthwise thereof, a two-part head slidably mounted in the outer end of the extension, said extension having two separated internal shoulders, two springs eaeh arranged between one part of the head and one of the shoulders, and an actuating rod extending from said head through said extension and into the body of the stick.

In testimony whereof, I, sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

PLATO G. EMERY.

Nitnessest WM. F. FREUDENREIGH, RUBY V. BRYDGES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

